Brazil has emerged as a key global player in climate policy development both under the UNFCCC framework and within its own borders. In its 2009 National Climate Change Policy law (NCCP), Brazil established a voluntary greenhouse gas reduction target of between 36.1 and 38.9 percent of projected emissions by 2020. Importantly, the NCCP provides an opportunity for leveraging private action and finance to lower the costs and increase flexibility of reducing emissions by enabling the creation of a Brazilian Emissions Reduction Market (BERM). While the national government is considering options for implementing BERM, including plans to curb deforestation and setting sectoral targets for agriculture, industry and energy generation and distribution, a great deal of on-the-ground activity is taking place at the subnational level.

In Southern Brazil, the states of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo have announced their intentions to launch cap and trade programs. In Northern Brazil, the states of Acre, AmapÃƒÂ¡, Amazonas, Mato Grosso and Para are implementing programs to credit Reduced Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) activities. At the same time, numerous GHG reduction projects have been and continue to be implemented across the nation, from landfill methane capture projects and other projects developed under the Clean Development Mechanism to forest carbon projects in the Amazon and other biomes.

Founded in 2005 by the Climate Group, the International Emissions Trading Association and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) has become one of the world’s most widely used carbon accounting standards. VCS has revolutionized the market developing trusted and innovative tools, as well as pioneering efforts to develop standardized methods that will streamline the project approval process, reduce transaction costs and enhance transparency. Across the world, projects using the VCS have issued more than 100 million carbon credits, including 6.5 million credits issued to 68 projects located in Brazil. Based on its years of experience in building a strong, coherent and well-respected global GHG emission reduction program, the VCS is a resource to governments that are considering and/or developing emissions trading schemes. More information the VCS can be found at www.v-c-s.org.

VCS senior staff have made multiple visits to Brazil in order to assess opportunities for the VCS Program. Additionally, the VCS Jurisdictional and Nested REDD+ (JNR) initiative is working with a number of governments to set up REDD+ accounting mechanisms that can effectively integrate national, subnational and project-level activities. VCS staff have met with officials from the federal Ministries of Environment and Finance, the Brazilian National Development Bank (BNDES), NGOs, project developers, trade associations representing the agricultural and industrial sectors, corporate executives and exchange officials. All have made positive expressions of interest in seeing the VCS establish a presence in Brazil

During the summer of 2012, the VCS retained a Brazilian consultant to survey a broad sample of stakeholders in the Brazilian carbon market in order to identify how the VCS can best support the developing market there. The survey identified a number of potential opportunities for the VCS, including the establishment of a permanent presence in Brazil. As a result, the following terms have been drawn up to recruit a Brazil Director for the VCS.

Position DescriptionThe VCS is looking for a dynamic individual who will work initially under contract to the VCS for a period
of six months to execute a set of tasks aimed at building the foundation for a long-term VCS presence in
Brazil. The Brazil Director will, at a minimum:

Gain a deep understanding of the VCS Program, including the JNR and other VCS initiatives, to be able to advocate on behalf of the VCS;

Building on the consultant’s work and the JNR initiative referenced above, expand and deepen VCS’ existing network of market stakeholders to better understand their needs and the dynamics of the carbon market in Brazil;

Building on the consultant’s work and subsequent VCS visit to Brazil, develop one or more cooperative initiatives that could contribute to the evolution of a Brazilian carbon market as well as identify new opportunities for cooperation with market stakeholders;

Engage with policy makers at the highest levels of the federal and state governments on emerging climate change policy, programs and initiatives;

Track policy developments and gather market intelligence, including deepening our understanding of all of the important partners with whom the VCS will need to work and/or cooperate in order to develop an effective presence in Brazil;

Research how an international organization such as the VCS can establish a presence in Brazil; and

Prepare a comprehensive strategy, to be presented to the VCS Board of Directors, for developing a long-term presence in Brazil in order to support local stakeholders throughout the country, help to develop the domestic carbon market, and build recognition for the VCS in Brazil.

Subject to VCS Board of Directors’ approval, successful achievement of the above tasks will likely result in the transition of this position into full-time employment with the VCS and the establishment of a VCS office in Brazil. Over the longer term, the incumbent will be responsible for:

Establishing and directing a VCS office in Brazil, including hiring staff, securing office space and managing the office’s budget;

Promoting the VCS Program, including the development of VCS-approved methodologies and projects and JNR programs in Brazil, holding seminars, and taking part in conferences;

Working with the VCS Program team to build domestic validation and verification body (VVB) capacity and oversee the work of VVBs;

Working with other VCS staff to integrate learning across the organization, particularly in respect of the development of national policies and programs in respect of climate change;